Observation is an important investigating technique

There are lots of fancy gadgets and lots of articles out there telling you the steps to getting a great EVP (I even wrote one ;p) but there is one technique that is often missed ..... the art of observation

Sarah Chumacero

14th September 2017.

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General.

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One of the things I like to try to tell fellow investigators or people that are wanting to learn is that there is not specifically a certain way to do things. Sure we can google how to catch an EVP and how to conduct a paranormal investigation and get all of the steps, but the thing we need to understand is that it is not necessarily the right way. Is there even a right way? No there is no set way. So I believe as investigators we need to adapt our style based on what works for you. Where is your knowledge based? What is your belief? What answers are you searching for and who are you finding them for?

There is not one way to do anything in life and that is also true in the world of paranormal investigating. We all have different styles and different ways of doing things. We react differently and our thought process is also different. I know in our team, while we have the same goals and same beliefs in general, we still have our own different ways of doing things. Some people like to embrace their spiritual side, some like to use the latest technical gadgets, some like to use old school methods and some like to sit back and observe.

I am always actively involved in any investigation because if you know me I like talking and it can be difficult to sit back and keep my mouth shut. I like to get involved and I know what gets results for me so I bring what I have to offer to the table. I will also give anything a try. As I say - 'Don't knock it till you try it'. The other thing I do A LOT of these days is also stepping backwards to observe the situation as a whole. You can usually get a gauge of everything that is going on. It is really easy to get caught up in things. I do like to embrace the moment and everyone is getting excited over something it can be easy to get excited too. There are occasions where if i know what is going on I will tell you and debunk the shit out of something. There are however times when I can't debunk straight away and I get a bit excited. The thing is, afterwards I reflect. We know realistically that 99.9% of things that are happening are not paranormal. Even the 0.1% of the time we can't explain it, doesn't mean it is paranormal, it just means we can't explain it. It is in this time of reflection I go over the things I have observed over the course of the night. Quite honestly when I go home from an investigation, I cannot hit the pillow and fall asleep. I am usually replaying everything over and over and over in my head. It is what I do.

By observing what is going on, we can get a complete picture. Is someone 'leading' the groups excitement or thought process in a certain direction? Are there natural things happening that can explain some of things happening on the equipment. What is the weather like outside? What are the conditions like inside. You get the general picture. Another cool thing with observation is that you are not just observing your group. You can do your baselines everything in your head, sit in a dark room with nothing. No equipment. Just sit there and watch, and wait and observe. Are there noises? Where are they coming from? Can you see shadows? What or who is casting them? You could occupy yourself doing this all night. You don't have to have a K2 next to you flashing or a spirit box making loud noises. This is an investigation technique that requires no cash deposit. You don't need to purchase any equipment to do this. All you need is your senses.

Once you do this, your whole opinion of investigating will be changed. When you take a step back and look what is happening, then you can truly see things for what they are. It's pretty cheap and it is quite enjoyable. While we attend talks, seminars, conferences and usually we are told the general 'jist' of investigating based on what is popular, very few people actively encourage you to sit back and wait and watch. We rely too much on techniques we see on television. Don't be a sheep. Pave your own path and do the things the way you want to do them. If you see an experiment, instead of just following what someone else has done, adapt and grow. Observe what others are doing and think about what you can do to get results. We can sometimes be annoyed when people don't do things our way or have a different process but we must remember that the end goal is all the same. We can learn from one another and the best way to do that is to observe.